Cheddar Cheese Sauce

This mild, kid-friendly sauce is creamy and velvety, with a subtle tang from sharp cheddar. Try it with steamed or sautéed veggies, baked potatoes, nachos, open-faced roast beef sandwiches, and hot cooked macaroni or penne. Using sharp cheddar cheese is important here, as you want the zippy flavor mild just doesn't have. And here's a bonus: This slimmed-down sauce boasts a fraction of the fat you'd find in regular or processed cheese sauces.

Serves 8 (serving size: 1 1/2 tablespoons)

Ingredients

1 cup 1% low-fat milk, divided
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup packed)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine 1/4 cup milk and flour in a saucepan; stir with a whisk. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup milk and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and pepper, stirring until cheese melts.

Nutritional Information

Calories 37
Fat 1.9 g
Satfat 1.2 g
Monofat 0.5 g
Polyfat 0.1 g
Protein 2.3 g
Carbohydrate 2.6 g
Fiber 0.1 g
Cholesterol 6 mg
Iron 0.1 mg
Sodium 115 mg
Calcium 71 mg


Cooking Light
April 2012